The Forgotten Heir
by sonoftheSun91
Summary: She didn't know what to expect from this golden-eyed stranger. He says she can trust him, but she could tell he had something to hide. As she tries to chisel the man's heart of stone, is the story she wants to know really worth uncovering? What other secrets lie beneath those saddened gold eyes? To answer all of these questions...we would need to start at the very beginning.
1. Prologue

**Hello everybody, this is sonoftheSun91 here. So here is an edited version of the prologue of the Forgotten Heir. To those who are new, enjoy the story and tell me what you think. **

**Disclaimer: I do not and I never will own Bleach and/or Freezing. **

**Prologue**

Dark clouds paraded the sky as the pitter-patter of rain cascaded to the grass. The sounds would have been soothing if not for the roaring clashes of thunder and lightning.

The pitter-patter of small feet drowned the sound of the rain, hurriedly splashing into dirty puddles. His clothes soaked, his bare feet filthy as he ran deeper into the dark forest.

Midnight tresses flopped maddeningly against the racing form, but he didn't dare stop. He was sure his feet were bleeding and swollen, but he didn't dare slow. They were close, he could tell. He had to keep running; he told his grandfather he wouldn't stop. If he did, the boy shivered as a stray drop hit his bare neck, he was dead.

Just like his poor grandfather.

The sounds of shouting froze the young boy as he stopped to listen, pinpointing the noise. Through the deafening rain heavy footsteps pounded the earth, and it wasn't just one pair. Quickly, he leapt into a nearby tree, its thick leaves easily hiding his form. He huddled himself up against the branch, clinging to the limb for dear life as he looked down at the ground below.

He held his breath as a group of ten entered his vision, their faces partially covered by donned masks. Black clothes clung mercilessly to their skin as rain pounded down, the blades on their backs glinting dangerously in the partial light. Suddenly, the sounds of hooves entered the clearing, followed by a loud neigh. Golden eyes peered down at the man on top of the horse, his lips tight with knowing.

The General was a scruffy faced man with his graying hair in the traditional topknot, loosened from the moisture. Compared to the black robes of his subordinates, he wore a royal blue, his peach colored skin popped from the dark color. Icy blues peered at his subordinates with frustration as he stilled his horse. "Keep searching!" he called down to the group in black, his teeth ground in anger, "make sure you keep the boy alive for Lord Ren!"

The group yelled in agreement and immediately dispersed, like ghouls in the boys' dreams. The boy nearly gasped as the General looked up, intently watching the branch where the boy resided. His heart hammered in his chest as he gripped the smooth limb, forcing himself not to fall from the slick wood. Moments passed, the rain being his only solace before he heard the General carry on, his horse whining in distress. The boy let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he slowly descended from the tree.

His muscles burned in agony he ran so much, his knees quaking from fatigue. The boy took a deep breath as he listened for any others, before jogging off to another wooded area away from the trail.

Another crash of thunder escaped from the sky as the boy ran for higher ground. Wet whacking sounds hit against his back as he remembered the small blade he was carrying. It was a strange weapon, the blade a color of obsidian, yet the hilt was the color of snow. The first time he saw it he proclaimed it as beautiful, despite the contrasting colors. Grandfather told him to just take it and run, but he never understood what 'it' was, or what exactly he was running from.

"There he is!" a yell brought a jolt to the boys' thoughts, his body set to run again. He turned around to see another group, twice the size from the first one racing towards him, their eyes gleaming with anger and hatred.

Wasting no time, he sped off. Faster and faster, deeper and deeper, his heart pounded and his breaths rapid when the voices grew louder and louder. They were still following him, this deep into the forest, the trees grown so close together the woods appeared black. He turned around to see the General now behind him, his katana down at his side ready to strike. "Die Shihōin bastard!" the General raised his blade high as he swung down, grazing the boys' back with a quick slice. The boy gave a shocked cry, his knees nearly buckled underneath him, but he quickly double-checked to still hear the wet whacking sounds of the hidden sword.

He heard the General growl as the man tried again, his heavy sword raised high above his head. Not giving him the chance, the boy turned on his heel and sped towards the horse, said animal whining loudly and raising up its front legs. The General clumsily fell to the wet ground; a loud grunt escaped him as he landed. This did not stop the young boy as he leapt over the older gentleman, racing into another part of the forest. "Shoot him down!" the General yelled angrily as he watched the boy and some soldiers disappear, "get that son of a bitch!"

Whizzing sounds passed through him as he ran, the soft thuds of metal hitting wood as he ran through the trees. It was a glance, but for a moment, the boy saw light…an escape. Without wasting time, the boy changed his course again, running towards the grey opening from the forest. He felt lighter than ever before, the pain lessened with each step closer. The boy was about to smile with joy before metal pierced his shoulder blade.

He cried out in agony, stumbling past the clearing onto the wet grass. The boy grit his teeth as he grabbed at the small arrow, the pain returning as he quickly pulled out the metal tip. The cold rain enveloped him as he ran once again, only to stop in his tracks, his hopes completely dashed.

A ravine stood before him, the darkness below looked like a merciless abyss, causing the young boy to backtrack from the edge. He turned to head back but the soldiers were there waiting, surrounding him in a tight semi-circle. He set his feet apart, his stance wide, daring any of these men to come forward. They only stared at him, their snickers and sneers growing on their dirty faces, like hunters cornering bountiful prey.

Golden orbs narrowed to slits as he heard the men's jeers, each word jabbing at him like knives at his heart.

"Noble scum."

"Piece of shit."

"Die already you son of a whore!"

Rage coursed through his tired form, renewing his energy with newfound life. Doing what he was taught he released his reiatsu, the earth shaking beneath him as waited for an opening. His fists hardened as he watched one of the soldiers converse disbelievingly with the others. "Oi, oi, really? This punk has guts to want to fight." He sneered at the young boy before looking towards another comrade. "Hey, Makoto," the man craned his neck to see a younger man in the back of the group, leaning against a random tree, "how long is this supposed to take?" the boy's face screwed up in confusion before his heart did a sickening thud.

"Shouldn't be long now." Makoto replied, his bored grey eyes watching the boy with disinterest. It was no hard feelings on the young teenager at the ravine, but a job's a job, and he makes sure his job's done right.

The young man winced as he inhaled a harsh breath, his knees beginning to buckle while he stood. A hand grasped his chest as each breath grew more painful to draw, his face feverish despite the cold weather. He could feel them edging closer, but his eyes remained on Makoto, anger evident in his golden irises. Lightning streaked down as the mass of black began to laugh, weapons in their hands as they glared at the boy.

Suddenly, the group split apart, as if granting a path toward the young boy. He was about to go forward when the jeers were quickly replaced with chants and cheers. A white bulb appeared through his blurred vision, trotting lightly towards the semi-circle; the boy gritted his teeth as he recognized the figure with robes the color of blood

Lord Ren had some nerve, riding his grandfather's horse.

Said lord looked down on the bronze-skinned boy with hatred and joy. With his death, everything would be his; the wealth, the power, the prestige. He looked at the brown strap on the boy's shoulder, his dull browns slightly lightened in expectation. Most important of all, he would finally have the blade.

It was hard to believe that old geezer could sire another child.

"Give me the sword, boy," Ren's deep voice called out, the rain drowning out the yells from the soldiers, "and you will live another day." Golden orbs looked up at him defiantly, his harsh breathing taking out any train of thought. "Never!" the boy cried out while Ren deeply frowned.

He always hated the color gold, it reminded him of _her_ too much.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" the soldiers chanted, their cries asking for blood. As if the massacre from hours ago wasn't enough to sate them.

"You are weak just like your father," Ren growled, raising his spear to the weakened boy, "and your brothers and sisters before you. Let it be learned how unlucky you are, to be born in this family." The boy was about to retort when the chants grew louder, the sounds deafening out even the thunder of the storm. Lightning flashed as the boy looked up at Lord Ren's face, the pale skin frighteningly white, and his dull browns glowing brilliantly with glee.

"On this day in history," Ren called out, his spear held out in front of him as he readied his stance, "the Shihoin bloodline," and he thrust the blade forward, "ENDS NOW!"

The metal pierced the side of the boy's abdomen, a loud scream escaping the child. Roars of triumph were heard from the soldiers nearby, wanting more blood to spill. In shock of the pain, the boy pressed down on his wound and stepped back, forgetting about the dark ravine below.

The wet earth suddenly crumbled beneath him as he felt himself fall, nowhere near a spot to get a grip. "Shit!" he heard Ren yell out, maneuvering his horse to try to grab the weapon strap, just missing it between his fingertips. The boy screamed as he fell backwards, feeling nothing but the air, seeing nothing but darkness and the white crackles of lightning. His eyes began to water as darkness consumed him, calling out desperately to the only person in his world.

"MOMMY!"

.

.

.

**A/N: Whoa, an intense chapter if I do say so myself. So, if you liked it, you definitely favorite, review, alert or whatever. PM me if there are questions/concerns and I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. **


	2. Chapter 1: Beginning

**Hey guys I'm back, and welcome to the world of The Forgotten Heir. I saw how you guys liked it, so I will go ahead and continue. And btw, I don't like to sound like a review hound, but looking at people favorite and alert my story really makes my creative juices going. But enough of that, and let's dive on in shall we?**

**Disclaimer: I won't ever own Bleach or Freezing. Ever.**

**Chapter 1: Beginning**

Peace surrounded the campus of West Genetics, with a clear night sky and a pristine moon glowering down upon the buildings. On occasion a light breeze carried the fresh scents of spring, cherry blossoms floating fluently with the mischievous wind.

No one would suspect such a beautiful night be one Pandora's living hell.

She was on a mission, the grass underneath her making harsh crunching noises, her breath coming out in light pants as she ran. Brown eyes were keenly focused on the pair of doors in front of her, just feet away for a chance of sanctuary. The moment she grabbed the knob, giving it a good twist, she gritted her teeth in anger.

_Locked_

"Shit." Arnett grunted while wiping the sweat off her brow, her new school uniform wet with saturation. Red bangs were clumped together across her forehead, to which she paid no mind to at the moment.

No one would really care how her hair looked if she was dead.

Yards away she spied another building, with pair doors similar to the ones that stood before her. Sadly she could tell from her spot they too were locked, with no sign of opening until dawn. Exhaustion slowly took over, Arnett too tired to even think of yelling anymore. She didn't even notice she was in an abandoned part of campus until now, the aging edges of old graffiti littering the buildings' facade. Of course, she grimaced, that was probably the plan. The clever fucker lured her from the main grounds with ease, like a puppet on strings.

Of all the times in the world, why didn't she think to bring her dorm key!?

"_Arnett-chan,"_ she stilled from the dark moaning voice, her auburn hairs stood on end, _"where did you run off to? You can't hide from me." _Her mind screamed for her to get away. She was a sitting duck if she choked up now. Muscles set on overdrive, Arnett raced off once more, kicking on her Accel as grass crunched beneath her feet.

She thought hard on what went wrong, what had possibly gone through her head to even think of going outside…in the middle of the night…_alone_ of all things.

Slowly Arnett recounted her day as she ran. All third years completed the Spring Carnival this past afternoon; she remembered her chest filled with pride in maintaining fourth place. She saw all her friends again during dinner as she spoke with them, laughed with them, and ate with them. She remembered almost passing out on her bed, sleep overtaking her in her warm fuzzy mattress. It wasn't even a minute after her head fell onto her pillow did her phone go off, immediately jolting her awake. Arnett remembered the stupid smile on her face as she read the short but sweet message from her closest male friend. She slowly brought herself back from her thoughts as dread coursed through her veins.

Morrison shouldn't be sending her texts. He died three weeks ago.

Singeing pain passed through her lungs, her form easily gave out as she slipped on an upturned root, tumbling hard onto the grass. Lying on her stomach, she forced herself to push up, only for her legs to wobble like new-born calves before she fell again on the hard earth. Growling at her body's lack of resistance to pain, she forced her jelly limbs to crawl to a nearby tree. Upon reaching the trunk she flipped herself over and rested against the rough bark, nearly gasping to inhale the cool night air. She knew _it_ wasn't far behind, but she was plenty upwind to stall for some well needed recovery.

A light breeze brought a shiver upon her heated skin, the deep midnight sky contrasting with the snow white moon above. Lifting her head upward, the high ponytail she wore now in slight disarray, Arnett realized where she was as she watched the cherry blossoms. Pink petals prettily floated to the ground, dancing to an unknown tune with the caressing wind. The breeze suddenly picked up and she watched as they scattered off, almost surprised by their mischievous partner before slowly melting away into the distance. Arnett couldn't help but let out a soft grunt.

In her own way she made it here, to their spot, just like he asked her to.

It's hard to believe it would've been one year today.

Sharp footsteps crunched across the grass, making Arnett snap her head downward. _Impossible_, she cringed, her body screaming for more rest as she stood. She only watched as _it _came closer and closer, translucent clouds in the sky veiling the intruder's presence. Arnett hardened her light brown eyes as she summoned Scythe Machina, the metal of her blade glimmering as she raised it above her head, red substance trickling down her blade in quiet drips. She tensed for _it_ to come crashing towards her, to slash her, beat her, but her fists clenched even tighter when _it_ suddenly just…halted.

Arnett gripped her weapon tighter as glowing moonlight fell upon the field, her stomach flipped sickeningly as sandy blonde hair and gentle green eyes came into view. She knew him to be cute and energetic months ago, his easygoing smile lightened her heart multiple times, even more so when he waved goodbye for winter break. She made sure to make short of those memories. They were lulling her, lowering her guard, that's how it got her the first time. Arnett couldn't help but glare at the young man, not wanting this to be her last memory of him; his eyes a dull jade, his smile a cold sneer. She constantly chanted to herself as she faced this-thing.

This wasn't Morrison anymore.

"I found you!" Arnett grit her teeth as it let out a high cackle, the air around them felt stale and dead, "You always did suck at hide-and-seek."

"If I remember correctly," she retorted while lightly tapping her foot on a random tree root, "this was supposed to be 'home base'."

"And _I_ thought," it cooed, earning a chill down Arnett's spine, "we already went through this. There's no such thing as 'base' in this game," The sneer became a near pout as he looked at her with those dull eyes, "besides, you lost your chance after that little cheap shot you pulled." Its pout became a deep frown as it pointed down to the familiar sunflower yellow school uniform, the white dress shirt torn in two to reveal a deep red blotch in the center. "That actually hurt."

"I'll ask you one more time," she grounded out, weapon in ready position, "what have you done with Morrison?"

"What have I…done?" it answered, the pale head cocked to the side, its cold lips puckered in thought, "can't you see I'm right here Arnett? Or have you recently gone blind on me?" As it spoke, it slowly sagged its' shoulders and stopped looking at her, rambling in such soft whispers Arnett had to strain herself to hear. "_You_ were the one who left _me_ all alone. You weren't there when _I_ needed _you_. I was so, so lonely without you...yet _you_ moved on like I didn't even exist."

Suddenly the rambling stopped as Morrison looked up at her with those trustworthy saddened eyes, before he started to cackle in maniacal glee. "It doesn't even matter anymore, now that you're here in front of me. No matter what excuse you'll give me, it won't matter since I'm dead. But…I realized something while trying to find you," he closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose, exhaling slowly as he looked at her predatorily, "I am _so_ hungry, and you smell _so good_."

Suddenly he began to growl, the grunting noises growing higher and louder by the passing second. Arnett watched in horror as the body began to sickeningly twist and contort from its' structure. The school uniform easily tore to pieces, the pants barely held up by the hyperextended belt. Bulges from the arms and legs squirmed throughout the vessels until deathly white arms shot out from the tanned flesh. Black blood gushed from the forced wounds as it pooled underneath its feet. Immediately, white legs did the same damage.

"You know," it started, as the midsection began to bulge out, "you smell _so fucking good_." A sickly grin grew to impossible widths as black soulless eyes lustfully bore into hers. Arnett lightly shook as it opened its mouth wider, wider, and wider still, until a pale skull began to push itself out of its mouth, the pressure making a bone-crushing crunch from its jaw and neck. Silent tears escaped her eyes as the remains of her previous partner immediately split apart; a large muscular being towered over her, with sickly green skin bathed in blackened ooze, the skull-like head intently watched her, the horrific grin never leaving its face.

Arnett immediately rushed him, swinging a wide swipe towards the figure's midsection. She felt something hit her weapon, hoping she got a piece of him, but a cold smile entered her vision as it side-swiped her back to the tree. In mid-air she flipped herself over and rushed forward again, this time toward his blind spot. She was in mid-swing to the base of its neck before it bashed her with its dulled elbow, effectively breaking a rib. Arnett bit her tongue as her grip slackened on her weapon, her back hitting hard against the rough bark of the tree. She could only cough up blood as her vision blurred, her mind going a million miles a minute.

Why…why couldn't she hit him?

With a pained gasp, she noticed it stopped the assault, an impossible grin plastered on its face. Arnett wanted to question what it was smiling about, until she noticed a lone figure slumped on the grass, still and lifeless like a doll. She squinted to see it was a student, just like her, with flowing red hair and the same school uniform. She wanted to move, to save this person, but a small jangling sound stopped her movements. Confusion crossed her features as she stared at the large chain on her chest, the dark metal contrasting with her visible pale skin. Arnett wanted to touch it, to know what the hell was going on, until she heard another jangle reach her ears.

She followed the chain with her eyes, watching as the cold metal was placed into malignant claws, and then flowed past it to the slumped form yards behind them. Her heart fell to her stomach as she realized with horror that the still girl was…her.

As if watching the light bulb click, it gleefully gripped her chain, simply snapping it in two. White heat entered Arnett's system as excruciating pain coursed her veins. She tore the earth from under her as she gasped in harsh breaths, forcing herself not to scream bloody murder. She wouldn't give it the pleasure of knowing she was in pain. She heard its incessant laugh as it giggled in high squeaks. "Tee hee, you're dead," it chided, as if it was the funniest thing in the world, "and now you're mine."

"You bastard," she cried out through pained breaths, "what the hell do you want from me!?" The light giggling stopped as white smoke escaped from its jaws, an eerie hissing approached her senses. "What do I…want?" it asked as it took another deep breath, the white smoke quickly replaced with slowly oozing saliva.

"GIVE ME YOUR SOUL YOU BITCH!" With a defiant cry, it charged towards her, claws and teeth waiting to tear her flesh to pieces. Arnett watched in slow motion as the claws grew closer to her heart, said organ rapidly beating beneath her bosom. She stared into soulless depths as a fist came in her direction.

_THUNK_

A heavy weight fell onto the grass as a sharp breeze blew through the night sky. Arnett's eyes widened to see the offending hand that was about to kill her - lie uselessly on top of her shoe.

Shrieks of pain shot her back to reality as she looked at the horrifying creature, who had its own look of fear while quickly distancing itself from her. "YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE!" it screamed, swatting away at some invisible figure, but ended up getting slashed at one of its joints. Although the figure had trouble seeing it, Arnett caught a glimpse of her savior.

In the form of a black clothed flash.

She heard another sickening slice as she watched the flash sever the beings head; it gave out one more monstrous cry before it fell, turning to dust before it hit the ground. Arnett just sat there, dependent on the tree as she watched the mischievous moon glisten the field once more. As the white light pronounced itself, a dark man came in her sights while he watched the breeze carry away the ashes, his head tilted to the indigo butterfly graciously flapping away.

Arnett assumed a ninja saved her; an all-black uniform clung to his form like a second skin. The sleeves were cut off above his broad shoulders, revealing well-toned arms. Short and wild midnight locks rustled in the wind, a caramel colored hand slowly ruffled the back of his neck. She heard a deep tenor voice grumble 'rest in peace,' as he turned in her direction. Glowing golden orbs entered her vision as he slowly walked towards her, his face calm and collected.

"Are you alright?" his concerned voice called out as his tall frame hovered over her. Not caring anymore, Arnett's strength left her as she fell forward, darkness blurring out watchful golden eyes.

She'd have to ask him next time why he wasn't wearing shoes.

.

.

Carefully setting her on the bed, he heard a quiet moan from the redhead. Her crisp new uniform was in shambles, fresh claw marks frayed the abused fabric, her hair in disarray. He healed her injuries before carrying her back to the dorm, but he'd keep an eye on her, just in case. Leaving her on the mattress, he quietly searched through her drawers for some night clothing. After a few minutes he came upon a large blue T-shirt that could easily go over her head. Quietly going back to the bed, he internally groaned as he set the shirt down beside her.

He was definitely lying about who changed her.

He started with the blouse first, the cloth was covered with splotches of dried blood. He slowly raised her from the bed, another moan reaching his ears as her head nestled in between his shoulder and neck. Golden eyes widened from the unintentional contact, his skin heating from her tickling breath. His nose caught her scent of vanilla and honey, but took his mind off it as he pulled the blouse over her head. After carefully guiding her arms out each hole, he easily pulled the shirt off. Mentally congratulating himself, he reached over for the navy fabric, but slim warm arms slowly wrapped around his waist.

A shocked gasp left his lips as he felt her skin pressed against his, heard her sigh in relief, her warm breath hitting hotter against his skin. He mentally cursed as he felt his cheeks heat up, still reaching for the large shirt. Grasping it between his fingers he gently put the cloth over her head, keeping her steady as she peacefully slept. He really couldn't blame the girl; she had a pretty shitty day. While gently untangling her long fingers he placed her arms into the shirt, the young woman letting out a whimper now and then. Once the shirt was down her torso, her limbs disengaged from his form, he gently ushered her into the covers. Another murmur escaped from her mouth as he tucked her in, turning herself towards the door.

Once he saw she would stay asleep, he let out a sigh of relief, only to jerk when a cell phone vibrated against his clothes. Grumbling a curse he quickly brought the phone to his face, frowned at the caller ID, and quickly brought the phone up to his ears.

"I'm busy." he answered irritably, walking towards the bedroom door.

"You must not be that busy if you can answer the phone," a jovial voice replied, earning the young man a roll of his eyes.

"What do you want Kisuke?"

"Oh how your cold voice reminds me of Soi Fon," the young man groaned as he heard Kisukes' mock hurt voice, too tired and sore to deal with his double entendre. He rubbed the back of his neck in irritation as he leaned against a wall, idly looking at items on the girls desk. "So how was finding the target? Did you have a hard time?"

"The Hollow was a piece of work. There was a disturbance in the air that kept throwing me off. Except-," he paused looking towards the mop of red tresses out of the covers.

"Except what Akira?"

"During the search, there's a possibility I might have been…compromised."

"You were seen?"

"She was near unconsciousness when I arrived. Her Chain of Fate was also broken after I took care of _it_." Akira wasn't even sure why he was making excuses for this man, but ended up doing it. A short pause passed between them before the bleached blonde spoke.

"Is she okay?"

"Not too worse for wear, she's sleeping right now. She had a broken rib and-what is so funny?" Akira whispered in annoyance as he heard light chortling from the receiver.

"I never thought you had it in you Akira, to go into a random girls' room. Tell me, is she cute?" Akira rubbed the back of his head in annoyance as he could picture Kisuke waggling his eyebrows during that question.

"It's none of your damn business," he retorted, his tongue giving a light click, "besides I need to leave before she wakes up. Her spirit pressure is starting to bother me."

"Alright, alright, don't get too upset. Besides, I'm sure you have much to look forward to soon, yeah?"

"Yeah, I guess." He answered, noticing a small square of plastic shining on the desk. Curious, he walked over to the furnished wood and looked down at the card. A small picture of the sleeping girl was on the corner of said plastic, her smiling face and copper brown eyes looking back at him. Taking his eyes off the face, he looked at the other information and tightly pressed his lips together.

"So…any luck on finding _her_ yet?" Kisukes' voice brought Akira back to attention, his golden eyes going from the card to the sleeping woman. With a small huff he set the card down and headed back towards the door.

"I am many things Kisuke, but a miracle worker I am not." Light laughter could be heard from the blonde before he spoke again.

"Don't take too long though. There may not be a time limit, but people who want answers want them sooner than later." Akira stilled at the blonde's words, bronze hands clenched into fists, his eyes narrowed into slits.

"Don't think I don't know that," he replied, before quietly letting it go, "I have to go. Kon has a tendency to run amuck in my gigai." As he reached for the door, quietly twisting the doorknob, Akira heard a slight whisper that surprised him.

"Natsu and Sora keep asking for you, so… come by the shop soon, yeah?"

Akira let a sad smile reach his features as silence passed between the two. Quietly opening the door, he gave one last look to the redhead, her body still with sleep. Golden orbs slowly closed before he whispered, "I'll try," snapping the phone closed. Placing the object in his pocket, he stealthily left the room, a single thought maintained in his mind.

_It's been a long time…Arnett McMillan. _

**A/N: Official Chapter One done! Whew, quite a bit of work put in this one. But don't fret all; more will come out soon, so look forward to it. Favorite, alert, and review if able, and I'll see you guys soon. Later! **


	3. Chapter 2: Bad Start

**Hey everyone. Welcome back to the Forgotten Heir. Thank you guys so much for the reviews and words of encouragement. And without further ado, on to Chapter 2!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or Freezing. **

**Chapter 2: Bad Start**

Tossing and turning, Arnett woke with a start, a light sheen of sweat glistened her head as she rose from her mattress. Wiping her matted bangs away, she rubbed her eyes in frustration as her frantic pants began to calm. She forced her eyes closed, willing the dream away from her mind, wanting to forget. She noticed her familiar desk and drawer, her closet cluttered with clothes, her school books splayed about on the periwinkle carpet. Warm sunlight splashed into her bedroom window as birds chattered happily in the nearby trees, signaling another day of spring.

_Just a dream,_ she thought to herself while she moved to the edge of the bed, rubbing her bare arms as her back was drenched with sweat. Plush carpet welcomed her feet as she slowly stood up, her toes curling in mild satisfaction at the soft tingling sensations. Looking down at her nightstand, she noticed her crimson cellphone right where she left it.

Before everything happened.

Her head throbbed painfully as memories surged in. Meeting at the tree, running for her life, fighting that…thing, watching in horror as he split open like a ripe pomegranate. Its soulless depths lustfully watching her, then…shining gold. Arnett's knees shook as a horrifying thought echoed through the depths of her mind.

_Tee-hee, you're dead_

Arnett clamped a hand across her mouth as she raced towards the bathroom, fluidly opening the toilet seat as her knees loudly knocked onto the marble floor. Retching sounds escaped her as she hovered over the seat. Every image she continued to remember sent more bile up her throat, her esophagus burning after she stopped dry heaving.

Arnett cursed herself for acting like this; she's seen classmates get torn apart by Nova. Hell, even she's torn some of her classmates to pieces.

And yet…this was the second time she would truly admit she saw a real monster.

She stopped that thought as she lowered her head onto the marble floor, the cool stone relieving her feverish face. After a few deep breaths, Arnett cautiously touched her chest to not feel the hard nub of metal, nor the ribs that should have been broken. She listened to her heart beat, the frantic thumps slowed to a normal calm pace.

_That's right_; she thought to herself, there's no way she could've died. If she did her heart wouldn't be beating anymore. Slowly standing up Arnett removed her clothes, copper eyes surprised as she looked in the mirror.

She didn't remember putting pajamas on last night.

Shrugging it off as exhaustion Arnett turned on the shower, the scalding water prickled her form as she entered. She could feel her muscles slowly relax, mindlessly washing away the dirt and grime from her small frame. As she touched the bottom part of her ribs, Arnett furrowed her brows. She couldn't place it, but she was definitely sure they had snapped in two. But then…what exactly happened last night?

Golden orbs passed through her mind as realization crossed her features. Maybe if she could find him, he could answer her questions. Then again he might be pretty hard to find.

He is a ninja after all.

Completely relaxed from her shower, Arnett wrapped a towel around her torso as steam escaped the bathroom, intent on walking to the dresser.

She didn't notice the masculine form sitting cross-legged on her bed, his golden eyes wide with shock at her state of dress. She didn't notice his cheeks blaze crimson as she removed her towel, her nude form presented in all her glory. Arnett hummed a soft tune as she gathered parts of her uniform, slowly but surely covering herself up. It wasn't until she had fastened her skirt did she hear her bed moan, stilling her movements as she slowly turned around.

She didn't need to find him anymore. _He_ found _her_.

Arnett stood dumbfounded at the figure, his clothed back towards her, his form ram-rod straight. Akira turned around to see her staring at him, copper eyes wide with surprise. As he was about to greet her he could see her take in a sharp breath, her blouse forgotten on the floor as she covered her exposed chest. As Arnett filled her lungs with air, a large hand clamped itself over her mouth, the grip none too gentle as she felt her back hit the front door.

A shocked gasp left her as she looked up, the man towering over her, his golden gaze piercing as he grounded out a low whisper. How did he do that?

"Please, for the love of Kami, do not scream." Akira watched her carefully as she slowly let air blow out of her nose, her form frozen as brown eyes looked at him closely. He reprimanded himself while still holding her, embarrassed he let instinct take over.

Maybe she wasn't going to scream at all. Maybe she was going to give a surprised yelp that wouldn't cause alarm throughout the whole campus. Then again, luck never was on his side.

"I'm going to let you go now," Akira said calmly, his hand still clamped on her mouth, "I swear on my honor I won't hurt you. I just wanted to see how you were doing, that's all. Can you promise me you won't scream?" Arnett looked at him warily before giving him a small nod. A sigh escaped him as he gently released her, walking back towards the bed as she remained in her spot, grasping her now wrinkled blouse.

She felt her face heat up as she noticed his back was still toward her. In her opinion, he was a little too late to be a gentleman, but she'll give him an 'A' for effort. An internal groan escaped her as she finished changing, the silence between them almost deafening.

"You can turn around now." She stated, pulling her hair up into her usual ponytail. The man turned around again, his golden gaze still piercing through her but slightly softer than before. She had so many questions she wanted to ask him. About Morrison, about him, anything she could think of. After mulling it over, Arnett looked back at his calm demeanor, and asked her question. "So it wasn't a dream was it?" she asked as she felt her eyes become full, "did I…" she paused, unsure how to go through with this, "did I really…die last night?"

Akira raised his eyebrows at the young woman, not expecting such a question. He was thinking more along the lines of 'who, what, where, when, and why,' but he didn't give it any other thought. "Yes and no," he answered, watching her mouth gape open, "the Hollow, I mean your friend, had torn apart your Chain of Fate. Normally this would have caused you to 'die', but I was able to repair the damage."

"Chain of Fate?"

"Yes, exactly what it says," Akira clarified, "the Chain of Fate is basically a metal chain that bonds your two selves, your physical and spiritual self. That chain keeps you bound to the physical world until your time to pass. When the chain breaks, your soul leaves the body and crosses over to the next world." He stopped himself, watching Arnett's face scrunch up in confusion, "in other words, if I hadn't have shown up when I did, you probably wouldn't be here right now."

Arnett felt her stomach drop as her brain churned the information. That would explain why she saw herself that night slumped on the ground. "When that thing…broke my chain…it said he wanted my soul. What did he mean by that?" Akira decided to sit on the floor, still tired from the previous night's fiasco.

He didn't even know how such a simple fight took so much out of him.

"When certain souls wait too long to enter the Spirit World, they begin to degrade in a form of madness. They cling to an attachment they held on to when still alive, usually in the form of objects or close friends and family. As time passes, when people move on and don't dwell on said person's spirit, a hole appears in their heart. Thus their given name: 'Hollow'." Akira crossed his arms together as Arnett watched him intently, the memories coming back to the beasts' transformation. She did remember a hole, but her fear was placed more on the deformed skull than missing flesh.

"Because that hole surfaces, a Hollow goes through many means to fill that hole. The easiest and fastest way would be to…eat other souls. My job is to make sure that doesn't happen." Arnett looked down at the ground, breaking eye contact with the golden-eyed stranger. How she was making sense of this she had no idea, but she didn't have a feeling the man was lying to her. Not yet anyway.

"So what is your job then?" Arnett asked curiously, "wait before that, I don't even know your name. I'd like to call you something else besides 'you'." She looked back at him to see a small smile grace his features, his golden orbs warmed to a honey color.

"I-"loud music interrupted him as Arnett ran across the room. She quickly passed him to the nightstand, grabbing the vibrating phone. She gasped when she looked at the screen, throwing out curses left and right. "Crap, I'm late!" she cried out as she raced to her desk, grabbing some random books and stuffing them in her bag. Running out the door, Arnett yelled "stay here!" before the door slammed behind her. Akira only sighed as he stood up in the war zone of a room, placing his hands in his robes.

"Well that went well," he mumbled to himself before shunpoing out.

.

.

"You look like shit."

The cafeteria hall was jam packed with students, obnoxious yells and rambunctious laughter echoed throughout the main room. It was a guaranteed one-way trip to a splitting headache, in Arnett's mind at least.

Arnett gave Creo a blank look from across the wooden table, gnashing up her scrambled eggs. "Hello to you too," she sarcastically mumbled to her blue-eyed friend, shoving a bite of the cheese covered substance. Creo said nothing as she slowly bit into her bratwurst, carefully watching her red-haired friend bulldoze through her lunch.

Normally she wouldn't say anything about Arnett's bad habit of rushing, but Creo noticed she appeared…more tense than usual. She knew the girl had a lot on her mind, but it wasn't as visible as it was now.

She could feel her friend's gaze on her, and it irritated Arnett all the more. Was it really that obvious? She just wanted a day of peace and let everything blow over. But no, some random guy pops up in her bedroom while changing, pins her to the wall when she tried to scream, then acts all nice to her as he tries to explain how she died yet didn't. Arnett groaned as she realized he never had the chance to tell her his name.

As the day passed, the events seemed to get progressively worse. She didn't have breakfast, was late for class, has detention with the Gorilla after school, and everyone sounds like a swarm of gnats buzzing in her ear.

She would give anything for a do-over.

Ocean blue orbs glanced at the small groups of people beside their table, heavy gossip ringing in her ears. Hating to bring Arnett out of thought, Creo sighed as she propped her elbows on the table, her expression soft as she looked at Arnett. "Is there something you want to talk about?" she asked, bring Arnett up to attention.

"Not really," Arnett replied, swirling the eggs around with disinterest. She saw Creo ruffle her white tresses around, the spiky strands stubbornly held fast. "Well it would be wise to see your mood improve sometime soon. Perhaps moving our stuff outside would help." As Creo began making more suggestions, Arnett duly noticed the not so subtle whispers surrounding the hall.

"Did you hear? About the Ford kid?"

"Poor guy. His whole family too. What shame."

"The sister didn't make it?! Damn, I thought she had a fighting chance."

"He was…_her _partner, right?" Copper orbs narrowed at what they were insinuating.

"Yeah...I heard she kissed him before winter break."

"You mean like a kiss of death?" Giggles and snorts escaped from the underclassmen, unknowing of the dark aura surrounding Arnett. One of the girls, with brown hair and pretty green eyes, spoke out between the laughter.

"Maybe instead of the 'Slashing Trickster' she should be the 'Grim Reaper'."

"Don't even joke. What if it sticks?!"

Arnett suddenly stood up, her breakfast forgotten, her anger reaching boiling point. The whole cafeteria became silent as death as they watched the Mad Dog murderously glare at the other students. "If you all have something you want say, THEN SAY IT TO MY FUCKING FACE!" her yell bounced off the walls as everyone stared like gaping fish. In a blind fury, Arnett got out of her seat and stomped over to the gossiping group, Creo desperately trying to call her back. Arnett stood uncomfortably close to a second-year, the girl's jaw slack and green eyes wide with fear as Arnett glared with all her being.

"Listen you little bitch," Arnett growled, her anger reaching to new heights, "know that I would _never, ever _hurt a hair on Morrison's head. And if you really want me to become this 'Grim Reaper'," with a snarl, her scythe made its' presence as the girl let out a silent scream, "I can certainly arrange that!" She gripped her weapon tightly, ready to slash the offending girl down, only for her movements to be stopped by a large tan hand.

Arnett turned around in anger, only to raise her eyebrows in shock.

"It seems you're the hotspot for trouble, McMillan-sempai."

She thought she told him to stay in her room? And when did he have the chance to know her name?

Calm golden orbs stared at her as a small smirk was plastered on his face. He seemed to glow while donning the West Genetics uniform, his tall frame towering over hers. Midnight black bangs were messily mussed up; the back of his hair lay flat against the nape of his neck. He said nothing while gold clashed with copper, not paying attention to the hushed whispers surrounding the duo.

"What are you-how did you-what," Arnett tried to speak, but couldn't seem to let a proper thought go through. She quickly removed herself from his grip, glaring at him with furrowed brows as she felt Scythe Machinas' presence fade.

She watched with aggravation as Akira simply shrugged, placing his hands back into his navy pants. He looked at her with a confused look, as if the events from this morning never happened. "Is something the matter McMillan-sempai?" he asked, his head slightly cocked to the side, "you don't look too well." Arnett only gaped at him before taking a relaxing breath. Fine, if he wants to play this game, then she'll play too.

"Nothing is wrong, strange person I've never seen before, I'm just having a bad day." she said with fake cheeriness, wanting to wipe the hidden smirk on the bronze man's face. Arnett suddenly remembered where she was, Creo looking at the two of them with concern and the growing whispers of the students. Turning back towards her target, her face was filled with disgust at the display.

The second-year girl was a quivering mess on the cold marble floor; yellow streams soaked her snow white socks, a small steaming puddle pooled beneath her feet. Gasping sounds came from her mouth as tears fell like waterfalls down her face. Arnett felt no guilt as she watched the girl cry.

In her books, she got what she deserved.

"What's going on here?" Arnett groaned as she recognized that voice, hoping her ears deceived her. At the entrance, all spectators made space for the young woman as if she split the Red Sea, pairs of unknown eyes watched with intrigue as the newcomer walked towards the scene.

Tichy Phenyl, Vice President of West Genetics, was not happy.

"Tichy."

"Arnett."

Students filed away after the curt exchange, unable to handle the thick tension between the third-years. A frown was set on Tichy's face, disappointed such a scene occurred during the first week of school. Grey-green orbs looked down at the young girl in pity, passing the redhead as she bent to one knee; a kind smile graced her face as she reached her hand to the girl. "Are you alright?" the second-year gave a sharp nod, easily pulled to her feet by her upperclassman. Tichy guided the girl to her worried friends, ushering them to head back to her dorm to change.

Once she watched the small group of girls leave, Tichy's frown returned as she turned back towards the Arnett. "Care to explain?" she coldly asked, dead set on getting an answer from the Mad Dog. Arnett crossed her arms in defiance; irritation set in.

"For your information, the people you let walk away were the ones who started it." Arnett growled, her copper orbs glaring into unfazed grey-green. "It doesn't matter who started it. _You _were the one that almost broke Academy rules." Tichy countered, "If Akira-kun wasn't there to stop you, who knows what you could've done." Arnett couldn't retort as she glowered at the floor, hating to admit the third rank was right.

Tichy sighed again as she looked towards the male, her expression immediately softened. "Speaking of which, what are you doing here? I thought I told you I would escort you to class from the office?" A light chuckle escaped from Akira as he rubbed a hand across the back of his neck, surprising Arnett with the warm tone.

"Sorry Tichy-sempai," Akira apologized, his hand still rubbing his neck in embarrassment, "I was pretty hungry while waiting for you. I remembered you showing me the cafeteria yesterday, so I just came over." At the mention of food, his stomach answered with protest, causing the young man's cheeks to explode in pink. Arnett had to bite her lip not to laugh. Somehow she was irked he and Tichy were on first-name basis, but the thought stopped when her stomach protested along with his.

Tichy only glanced at the blushing duo, quietly clearing her throat. "Well since no harm was done, I guess I'll let this one slide." Arnett mentally sighed in relief as she looked up to Akira in thanks, finally learning the young man's name. Leaving from Tichy's side, Akira slowly approached her and stuck out a hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, McMillan-sempai," he said coolly, a small smile graced his face, "I look forward to meeting you in the near future." Arnett was about to smile right back before she saw the dried ink on his hand.

**Don't tell or else**

Arnett scowled as she firmly shook the man's hand, the message replaying in her mind. _Like anyone would believe me_, she thought to herself, an eye wincing in aggravation. Their silent conversation was short-lived when Tichy took a light hold of Akira's sleeve. "Be sure you two aren't late for class. Excuse us." With a quick step, the vice president had the taller man trailing behind her, his broad back being the last thing in Arnett's sight.

"Are you sure something's not bothering you?" Arnett paid Creo no mind as she went back to their lunch table. Her mind was too fuddled and she wanted nothing more than go back to sleep.

"I don't even know what's bothering me anymore."

**A/N: Alright, glad you guys made it to the end. Like and favorite if you enjoyed, PM me with any questions or concerns. Look forward to seeing you again soon! **


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